ARTICLE READING 

Context in architecture is a strong relation and visual relationship to the surroundings it is the external factors that influences a building design. These elements can be physical and non- physical. The context determines the architectural style, building material selection and site layout, which is very important in creating an effective design. All these promote continuity between the building and local circumstances.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

The context in architecture today is not very different, it is still the relationship towards the surroundings however taking into account not only locally such as economical and political but also globally (current context) issues that the world is currently facing, using architecture to solve these issues or a step to overcome them.

 

The economical context is related to the condition or situation of a country’s economy. Every country in the world does not have the same economic viability. This difference makes the practice of contemporary architecture is different from place to place. Therefore, this context makes the architecture style is geared towards the simple and clean facade elements. Lately, one of the design methods that exist due to the economical context is cost-effective construction methods. Prefabrication was introduced because not only it is cheaper to construct, it is also a light weight construction. Which means it can be dissemble and be moved if wanted.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

One example is Architect Steven Holls, who is famous for using prefabricated construction in his design. Adjacent to adobe houses built by the artist Richard Tuttle, this small construction sits atop a windy desert mesa. It is imagined like the tip of an iceberg indicating a much larger mass below. The form allows turbulent wind to blow through its center. The stressed skin and aluminum rib construction is digitally prefabricated in Kansas City then bolted together on site. A total of 31 metal panels, each with a unique shape are fabricated to form the "shell" of the house. The metal fabricator utilizes digital definition combined with craftsmanship to produce intricate shapes.

 

Architecture today does not only include context based of site, however they also try to include context related to the global issues such as crisis. Context that were never thought of or faced in previous years. One example would be sustainable context which was introduced in the early year of 2000’s as burning of fossil fuel increase and global warming was at a concern state.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

Sustainable architecture today not only wants the building to be energy efficient, but instead they want the green to be brought into the building or incorporating them into the buildings with actual plants. This is called “farmscapers” or “farmskaping” which is said to be the future of sustainable architecture.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

In the offices of Pasona, the future has already arrived. The Tokyo based recruitment agency has dedicated 20% of their 215,000 square foot office to growing fresh vegetables, making it the largest urban farm in Japan.

 

The gardens utilize a mix of hydroponic and soil-based farming, and require very specific climate control within the building. This often means keeping these spaces warmer than is considered comfortable for office spaces, and is arguably the building’s greatest downfall.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 The food grown in the office isn’t meant to just feed the employees at Pasona. Kono Designs, the architecture firm behind the project, is hoping that this new type of office will inspire the young urbanites to reconsider agriculture and possibly even to reinvigorate rural areas.

 

Architecture today should not only fulfill the designers desire but must take into account the surrounding context locally and globally, the response to the surrounding context is very important because it determines the success of the building design. It becomes more meaningfull when we design specifically for the local people. As Tom Schumacher said “ to retreat to a hopelessly artificial past is unrealistic, but to allow brutalizing system to dominate and destroy traditional urbanism is impossible”